The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-19
DON'T LIKE JOHNSON'S CARS
A Mass-Meeting of Citizens Demands q
Better Street-Railway Service.
The Council Is Urged to Revoke the Johnson
Company's Ordinance if 1t Has Been Fio-
lated-Cable-Lin Project Favored.

The call for a % meeting of citizens to meet
MT Tomlinson Hail. last evening, for the purpose
Of considering and discussing the existing differ
ences between the Citizens Street-railway Com
panv and its patrons and employees. brought to-
Rethar about five hundred people. Ex-Mayor
NcMastsr was called to the chair. He said he
was not there TO denounce the present street
ear company, but was in favor of
ana batter facilities, as Indianapolis was
deserving of the best There room
here for q cable road. There
over four hunS@ad miles of streets
and only twenty Eve miles ~<sre covered with
street railway, which left fully 375 miles of
streets for other organizations. He understood
that the company proposing TO come here and
build n cable road was abundantly able to do SO.
aud IL should be given hearty welcome and
fair charter. He thought the solution of the
difficulty with the Citizens Streetrailway Com
pany was in the establishing of rival competing
lines. In trade, man becomes accommodating
when the fellow over the way in the same line
proposes to furnish n better article at a little
better rate.
The next speaker was Rev. DIR. Reuben Jeffrey,
pastor of the First Baptist Church He said he
had no very vicious or hostile inten tions against
anybody and supposed Mr.. johnson had not en-
purpose OF henehting his health nor as n matter
of bensvolence to the community. but was there
for the money there was in it. which right
He said the time had gone by when the bobtail
was sufficient for indianapolis. It may have
been sufficient Mt the tim the charter was granted
The full grown boy should not DE compelled to
wear the short clothes he wore when little boy
of ak or seven. The day has gone by when this
travel OF her street. He smoke of the advan-
saRss OF cable roads in other cities,
and Of how they had built. up unoccupisd
lots with the homes of laborng men,
and that they would do the same thing here. He
said under the present street-car system in this
city the car drivers were brought down almost to
tho level OF the mule-the brute and the carman
alike the victims OF gross injustice. He de-
nounced any system that worked four
teen or fifteen hours day and on Sunday. God
has ordained that man shall have the Sabbath,
whether he goes to church or not IL he does
not 90 to church he ought to have the day TO go
into tbe fields, 10 sit with his family, to put
clean shirt and be able to look into a glass
day and feel that he WAS man. He continued
and said that ''the individual is q more sacred
thing in the sight of God and humanity than any
corporation. Corporations have no souls. Jesus
Christ, therefore, did not die for corporations;
He died for individuals He said that
worth more than n sheep. Had He lived in In
dianapolis in this day He would have said that
man was worth more than a mule and that both
. man and a mule were worth more than soul
loss corporation. This sentiment of the Doctor
met with great applause, and John Langstsff
the Doctors church In the morning at 1890
o'clock. Fifty sixty persons to their
feet, Simplifying their intention of coming. DR..
Jsffsry said he would be glad to them. but
did not desire to draw anyone from o1her
churches
e. r. Gould read a letter from Congressman
Bynum, expressing his regret at being unable to
attend. he being confined to his home by sick.
ness. Mr.. Bynum. in his letter. announced him
self IN favor OF the passage OF an ordinance by
the Council. with proper restrictions, for the
construction Of cable lines.
A. G. Geyer of South Bend, lecturer of the
northern Indiana districts of the Knights
of Labor, spoke of the condition OF
labor and the laborinG man, with but slight
reference to the matter the meeting had been
called to discuss.
Resolutions were then passed favoring the
construction OF cable lines and requesting that
AZ the present investigation by the Council into
the violation of its charter by the street-car
company rnd the violations to be charged.
chat the Council declare the rights of the COM
psny forfeited.
The meeting then sdjo urned.